Knitting, crochet, boxer dogs and life!

Hello

Today I heard Adele’s new song, called Hello. She has been away for a while and so have I. Which is why I thought it would be appropriate to name my first post in months the same as her first song.

The reason I have been AWOL is that I suffered a loss. And to me it was such a huge loss it just knocked me sideways. My beloved boxer dog, Bessie, suddenly began to show signs of being unwell. I took her to the vet and she was in kidney failure. I was devastated. Within the next week or so she deteriorated rapidly, despite spending a lot of time in doggy hospital. At the beginning of June, aged just two years and two months Bessie passed away. She had Juvenile Kidney Disease which has been badly affecting the boxer community but until it touched our lives I was completely unaware of it.

Anyone who follows me on Instagram will know that apart from knitting, my favourite thing to post photos of was my morning walks with Bessie in the fields. As it was coming up to the summer holidays I decided I would take some time out and come back to my knitting in the autumn, hopefully recovered and refreshed.

After a few weeks I realised, not only did I miss MY dog, but I also missed having A dog. The walks and the companionship. The need to leave the house everyday for a spot of exercise and fresh air regardless of the weather or how I was feeling. We decided to give puppy walking a go for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Last month Yuma arrived. A little ball of energy that my son very aptly described as ‘Adorable but annoying’! I guess we had forgotten how different having a puppy is to having an adult dog! We are getting into a bit more of a routine now though.

It has meant, however, that I have had less time for my knitting pattern writing than I am used to. Sometimes this can get a little frustrating! I have ideas whirling around my head and I just don’t have the time to work through them quickly enough. I have been working on a couple of new accessory sets, consisting of headband, short cowl and boot toppers.

The sets are both up for testing in my Ravelry group – Designs By Emma. I am always looking out for new test knitters, so if you are interested please sign up to any of the open tests or in the Testers thread for future patterns. I am really excited to get something new released. Watch this space! I do promise not to be gone for quite so long next time!